Loved You Once But He's My Forever

Chapter 577 Star Return To The Sky

Anna knew he wasn't the type to mess around with her feelings.

After being locked up for so many years and trying countless times to escape without success, hearing him suddenly say she was free felt unreal-like something out of a dream.

Taylor gently brushed his fingers against her cheek. "You won't have to see me again. Go live your own life. I'm sorry for ruining it."

Even though he said those things, Anna couldn't fully believe him. It all seemed too suspicious—like he still had something up his sleeve.

It wasn't until the following day, when Taylor truly let her go, that Anna finally felt grounded again.

But almost instantly, another fear crept in-what if he had planted some kind of tracker inside her? No matter how far she ran, he could still find her.

She might never be free of his grasp.

So when Taylor asked, "Anna, can I have a hug?"

She didn't respond-just turned her back to him and walked away.

He suddenly pulled her into an embrace from behind, his voice hoarse and trembling. "You really are cold, Anna."

Guilt flickered in her heart for a moment, but before she could react, he had already let her go. "Take care of yourself," he said quietly. "Go on now-don't come back."

Chloe guided her toward the boat. Once it had sailed some distance, Anna stepped into the cabin-only to find her father alive and waiting.

He was lying to her.

Chloe handed her a small vial, saying it was from Taylor. Once she drank it, all her memories would fade away.

Taylor had brought up this potion before, but back then, Anna couldn't bring herself to forget everyone at the Sanders.

Now, he wanted her to take it-to erase the memory of who he was.

He hadn't hidden a chip on her—this time, he genuinely meant to disappear from her life.

Anna rushed to the deck, scanning the pier for any trace of Taylor, but he was nowhere to be seen. Still, deep down, she was certain he was watching from somewhere nearby.

He once told her she was the rose he'd nurtured with his own hands.

With how deeply he loved her, how could he possibly let her go now, of all times?

Unless he had something even more important than holding on to her love.

Tears streamed down Anna's face.

Chloe asked if she was still going to take the potion, but Anna quietly shook her head.

She wasn't ready to erase the memory of him. She never wanted to forget. Remembering his final words, Anna felt as if a weight had lifted.

Was she truly free now?

She sat curled up on the deck for what felt like hours, hugging her knees and lost in thought. Eventually, Chloe reappeared, draping a coat over her shoulders and gently repeating Taylor's last few words and wishes.

really walked away from him.

home-to the Sander

apart, having Greg, her parents, and Chloe still alive

parents and breathe new life

courtyard where she'd spent her childhood, it looked just as

had grown tall and leafy, casting shade

its place, freshly painted, but in her mind, it swung with echoes of laughter from the days when her whole family

gently took Anna's hand and guided her back to the

and let

days at the Bolton residence, barely showing up at the Sander residence, which had allowed the

old photo album, paintings she drew with Chloe, and handmade gifts made by

through each

felt comforting to be

why did her heart feel like there

she wasn't used to it yet; time would eventually heal all

Chloe returned

to change her name, believing that since she

fresh, her name should reflect that

Not Anna, not Alice.

she would

sky, numbers fade

A fresh start.

painful memories; life was still long, and she had

kept up the appearance of being calm, but at night, the

every dream,

flower crowns behind her back, he taught her to

in a passionate embrace.

"Taylor!"

name

glanced around-empty. That familiar warmth, the

where a seed had long ago been planted,

the bottle of potion, her fingers brushing over

sip, and all of it-every

mind, again and again, until Anna finally understood-forgetting him simply wasn't an

herself to

had become a part of her, as natural and necessary as

was just thirst, she told herself-nothing to do with the

as she wiped her tears, they kept falling

herself that she'd eventually move on that time would

kept haunting her: Taylor was really

vanished off the face of the earth, and everything they'd

past twenty years had become nothing more than a fading

at the moonlight above. Were all those years with

she only dreamed

Anna felt each night, by morning she'd mask it